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With a childhood rough enough to guarantee him rock star success, by the time he was out of his teenage years -- at least according to the few details he's given -- Mickey Avalon had sold pot (with his mother), been addicted to heroin and dope, worked as a graffiti artist in L.A., converted to Orthodox Judaism (his parents were both non-practicing Jews, and his paternal grandparents were survivors of Auschwitz), got married and had a daughter, prostituted himself for drug money, watched his father die, and found his sister's dead body. All of this gave ample material for his rhymes, which he started writing after his pal, the former MTV VJ Simon Rex, encouraged him to compose his own songs. Avalon, Rex (who rapped under the name Dirt Nasty), and Armen Melik (aka Andre Legacy) began recording and releasing their own material as the Dyslexic Speedreaders, an irreverent group that gave a satirical and often lascivious look into the L.A. club and drug culture.

Avalon's stage presence, which mixed a kind of hyper- and often ambiguous sexuality akin to the trashy glam rockers of the '70s, gained the attention of DJ and aspiring manager Kev-E-Kev, who was soon helping Avalon hawk his self-titled CD -- wrapped in a newspaper advertising adult services -- on the streets. His music, in particular the song "Jane Fonda," thanks to its appearance in the HBO series Entourage as well its availability on his MySpace site, started gaining an audience, and in 2006 his album was reissued as the first release from MySpace Records in joint collaboration with Interscope.

Dirt Nasty is a moniker employed by Simon Rex, an actor-turned-rapper who began his acting career in the 1990s before branching off into rap 15 years later with a series of comedic YouTube videos that became viral hits. Born Simon Rex Cutright on July 20, 1974, in San Francisco, CA, he grew up listening to hardcore rap, heavy metal, and R&B. In time he moved to Hollywood and established himself as an actor, appearing in television shows such as Baywatch and Felicity as well as films such as Scary Movie 3 (2003) and National Lampoon's Pledge This! (2006). He also served as an MTV VJ for a brief period of time. During the late 2000s, Rex created a rap alter ego for himself, Dirt Nasty, and filmed a series of comedic YouTube videos such as "1980" and "Cracker Ass Fantastic." Moreover, he founded the independent label Shoot to Kill Music, made his full-length solo album debut with Dirt Nasty (2007), and collaborated with Mickey Avalon and Andre Legacy in the group Dyslexic Speedreaders. ~ Jason Birchmeier

Ekoh is not like anything you have heard before. Branded with the label of HEART HOP by loyal fans who saw something different in his style of hip hop. True emotional lyrics along with hard-hitting delivery, intricate production, and a high energy live show, Ekoh has something that hip hop music hasn't seen in a long time, TRUE PASSION FOR THE ART OF HIP HOP MUSIC. A song writer who can blur the lines between genres to create a truly amazing music experience. Blending hip hop with alt rock and everything in-between, Ekoh has a sound that will appeal to almost any music listener. "My music is about embracing REAL LIFE, the struggle, the good times, the frustration, the anger, the heartache. It's all real because its all true. I have felt and experienced it all." His unique sound and voice has gained a loyal following, and has taken the scene by storm. At only 23 years old, this groundbreaking MC is destined to make his mark in hip hop music. Ekoh has performed with acts such as WU TANG CLAN, KOTTONMOUTH KINGS, EVERLAST, TECH N9NE, DILATED PEOPLES, AHER ROTH, GRIEVES, JEDI MIND TRICKS, ILL BILL, IMMORTAL TECHNIQUE, WATSKY, ANDRE NICKATINA, LOUIS LOGIC, SLAUGHTERHOUSE, SAGE FRANCIS, POTLUCK, GLASSES MALONE, MISTAH FAB, BIG B, SUNSPOT JONZ, MC CHRIS, ABSTRACT RUDE, and many others. He has performed at venues such as House of Blues, Hard Rock Cafe, Knitting Factory, Electric Theatre, Cal-Neva Resort, Beauty Bar, LVCS and more. He has also performed on festivals such as the VANS WARPED TOUR and the EXTREME THING SPORTS AND MUSIC FESTIVAL. One listen and it is impossible to deny his lyrical skills. After paying attention to the lyrics, it's impossible to deny his ability to put feelings and emotions into words and relate with his audience. We have only seen the beginning of what will be the next big thing in the music industry, his name is EKOH.